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Thames Trot ultra 50 2014
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Hey Ed welcome aboard!
This will be my 3rd ultra. Ive done the NDW50 and race to the stones 100k 
I have no idea what to expect or what gear I need. Lot's of reading needs to be done
loads of peeps on here can help you, just have a look around some of the ultra threads. Or just ask here
Main thing I would suggest is getting used to running with gear on you and start thinking about and trying out what food works for you on the move
any beginners websites? I don't even know where to start with gear and nutrition
loulabell has a good thread for you to get reading...
http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/forum/ultra-/-adventure-racing/wannabe-ultra-runner/179287.html
the ultra marathon store is a good place to start for the kind of gear you will need
Welcome on board, Ed.
The best way to find out what kit you need is just to go out on your long runs, preferably in varying weathers and underfoot conditions - and return with an idea of what you could have done with. Get used to checking in with yourself throughout your runs, any hot spots on your feet, any areas getting chafed, and food cravings or energy lows, are you slipping in mud or are stones hurting your feet, are you too cold or too hot? Then see what nice stuff is out there in internet shopping world to solve your issues.
a lot of trial and error is involved
That's the concise way of putting it, yes.
cheers for the help guys. going to be a very fun learning curve
First stop is get some shoes and shorts that work well for you over long distance. If you look after your feet and your nuts there is no end to how far you can run!
haha best advice ever!
oh hell yes! chafing will stop you waaaaaay before your legs do!
haha I make that mistake every time in half and full marathons
If I register for this, but don't start traning until November, will i have enough time to buid mileage. I've been running for years and have a few marathons under my belt. I have a medical issue at the moment precludes me building miles right now.
You should have enough time but it depends on how quick you are really, this is a bit of a quick one with an 11 hour cut off. Personally I know im going to be pushing the cut offs so I started training at the start of this month to give me lots of time to get quicker
My NDW50 time was just over 13 but it was really hilly and my first ultra so maybe im just being over cautious 
Last 30 miler I did was 5:18, but it was a very hilly 30. Thanks for the heads up B2b, I do wonder whether I'll manage.
Edawrd Tansey: you might also like to look at e.g. the SDW50 thread from this year, see how bad conditions can get. At some point you're going to need to carry proper waterproofs, so you might as well stat looking for decent breathable lightweight gear NOW - there are a couple of threads on ultra gear - "The ultra runners Tool Kit" and "Gear!.
Good afternoon all. I am currently in training for SNOD at the end of next month, which will be my first Marathon. I am finding the training quite manageable, and am looking forward to it. However, as an exiled Tilehurst lad, I have a longing to do the Thames Trot next year.
In terms of training for it, would it be best to just carry on my marathon schedule, but just increase the distances/ amount of long runs
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
What are your aims for it? Ie just completing it or achieving a specific time? If completion is your goal an extended marathon prog is ok if you want to achieve a certain time you will need a more focused program
LE: have a look at http://www.trailrunevents.com/ul/schedule-50m.asp and compare with your suggested extended marathon programme. I'm a big fan of back-to-back long runs to train for an ultra. Good luck for SNOD.
Debra - Just out of curiosity... I personally dont get on too well with back to backs, I think I get carried away and end up getting hurt. I have however of late got into doing double up days where I will do a 45 minute spin class at lunch time and then a run in the evening. Anyone else tried this? Im finding its working really well and im about a minute a mile faster than I was a couple of months a go!
I am generally incapable of getting "carried away" on the second long run of a B2B, personally. Usually very slow.
Spin class then a run is pretty much a double training day, which should be beneficial. And I can't argue with that sort of speed improvement.
Hoping to get faster again next year myself. At present I'm on enforced rest due to a little cycling accident which has reinjured my left foot and bruised/possible cracked some ribs. Less than a week and already as the pain reduces I'm itching to be back out running!
In terms of schedules, I really don't think there is a one size fits all plan. If you've been running for a while you should have an idea of what works for you and what doesn't, what you need to work on and what you are good at. Take a look at a few schedules, see which one you like the look of most, and adapt it to fit. Confidence is probably the most important thing in an ultra, so do the training that will convince you that you are ready.
^^^ That.
Mix up the sessions (speed, distance, time etc), have fun and find what suits you. A lot of plans just get you to do mileage. The one mentioned above just says run hard weeks or easy weeks. If I ran every session in my week hard I would be a wreck within week 1! Don't become a slave to a plan, you will have days when you need to run an easy hour or even rest completely instead of smash yourself for 2 or 3 hours.
Thanks peeps! I have been following the "do whatever the hell you like" plan for a while now, experimenting with different training and the double up days seem to really work for me
Its very interesting what works for different people. Im finding lately sugar isnt really doing a great deal for me other than making me bloated, I now run much better on fats. Just plain old water with Elete water in it is my fluid of choice as well.
I used to survive on sugar based everything and it was the only way I would get round, now I can go much further on pretty much water and elete before taking on food.
Thanks for the advice everyone. Well my first aim is just to complete it. I think it will be an excellent confidence booster. But if I can do it in under 10 hours I would be chuffed to bits.
WiB: I'm a big fan of not re-inventing the wheel. If there are plans out there which give some guidance on how many miles you need to do, when you're going up the distance the first time, why not make use of them? (which doesn't mean "follow slavishly". I found that following a plan - the one I suggested above - worked for me for NDW50 last year and gave me the confidence that I'd be able to do it - and my finish time & position indicate that it worked!
This year, with more experience, 5 x 50-milers at 5-10 week intervals, and an injury to manage, my schedule has been all over the place, and I've completed all five races (although my pace has suffered due to reduced training to cope with the injury) - but then I had confidence I could do 50 miles because I'd done it before.
And it's obvious that their "hard" and easy" weeks are based on length of the long runs at weekends: they're advocating an easier week every three weeks, which I think is probably sensible when moving up to this distance. Okay, so you also want to mix up speed of runs etc., so do that.
Fair enough, but how do you know you need to run x miles per week? Just because a plan says so, it doesn't make it so. I will happily run anything from 30 miles a week to 90 miles a week depending how I feel. I have tried more miles and it didn't work for me, I know that now.
Use it as a guide to get a rough idea of what a typical week can look like, but one size fits all will only get you so far. Its hardly reinventing the wheel to think unassisted.
I am not going to debate on your results. However, look at some of the performances this year from others. Very fast runs from very different approches. A guy at NDW100 stepping up to his first 100 running 200+ miles per week in training, I am sure a plan didnt advise that! SDW100 winner (and huge CR) runs no more than 70 miles a week, trains by feel, rests plenty and puts quality over quantity.
Its never too early to learn to work out what is best for you personally.
I don't get how someone would know that in three months time I would need to do an hour long tempo run.
Hi all....I am in the Thames Trot 50. Put together my training plan yesterday. Bring on Feb 1st. I have only done two ultras and both were lapped runs so I can put all my gear in a tent. Will be a challenge running with all my fuel.